Caution: US Embassy warns public against visa fraud
Caution: US Embassy warns public against visa fraud
KUWAIT: The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Kuwait alerts the public to various visa fraud schemes that seek to take advantage of applicants for visas to the United States. Such schemes can be perpetrated by individuals or organisations, some of which falsely claim to represent the government of the United States or to have inside knowledge of visa issuance procedures. Visa applicants should be aware of such misleading claims and should obtain all information about visa applications only from US government sources such as the American Embassy website at http://kuwait.usembassy.gov. One widespread scheme solicits victims via email by mimicking the popular Diversity Immigrant Visa Programme (DV), also known as the "Green Card Lottery," which is conducted each year by the US Department of State. This programme makes available 50,000 immigrant visas yearly to persons from certain countries. The email scam promises to deliver diversity visas in exchange for cash payments. They ask presumed "winners" of the DV programme to pay fees to an individual or organisation in the United States. Applicants should not respond to any offer of this type. The official electronic application process for the DV lottery is available on the Internet free of charge to everyone. Winners of the DV program receive official appointment letters from the US Department of State's Kentucky Consular Centre. Additional information about the DV Lottery program is available at www.travel.state.gov. The 2008 DV instructions are expected to be announced shortly. Visa applicants should also be wary of any individual or organisation providing visa consulting services for a fee. Other than providing translation when required, the use of a visa consultant is not necessary or helpful when seeking to obtain a visa to the United States. In most instances such groups defraud people of their money by making false promises or by "assisting" otherwise qualified applicants who would be able to obtain a visa on their own. Some go so far as to furnish fraudulent documents to present at the visa interview. Applicants should be aware that making false statements or presenting forged documents in order to obtain a visa is a violation of US law. The Embassy Consular Section reminds applicants that all information on the visa process, including what documents to bring and what to expect at the visa interview. The US Embassy's Consular Section urges the public to be alert to such scams and not to send money to any unsolicited request without verifying its legitimacy. Anyone encountering such schemes is urged to report them to the Embassy Consular Section at the email address KuwaitFPU@state.gov
